Scuba Vs. Surf Wetsuit

Wetsuits offer the ability to reduce the risk of injury due to objects within the water and to reduce body heat loss. They are used for a host of water activities including surfing and scuba diving, which require different attributes from the suit. Choosing the right wetsuit for you depends on the designated water activity as well as water temperature.

  1. Style

    • There are a variety of wetsuit styles available that offer varying body fits and coverage. Wetsuits designed for surfing include shorty and full body suits that offer thinner material in certain areas to allow for greater flexibility. Shorty suits feature short sleeves and short leg sections that stop above the knee. Scuba diving suits generally include full body, layer and dry suits designed for less flexible motion; however, they reduce the loss of body heat by covering more skin with thicker material. These style suits cover the entire body and have tapered ends to accommodate boots and gloves.

    Material Thickness

    • Material thickness varies greatly among surf and scuba wetsuits depending on the temperature of water for which they are intended. Surf wetsuits generally utilize 3-millimeter thick neoprene or thinner to provide easy movement. Scuba wetsuits have a greater thickness to protect the diver from the cold temperatures found beneath the surface. They range from 3-mm to greater than 7-mm for deep diving suits.

    Closures

    • Closures keep water from entering underneath a wetsuit, keeping in vital body heat in cold water situations. Surfing wetsuits snuggly fit the body on the arms, legs and neck allowing some water to enter. Scuba wetsuits have a tighter fit on the appendages and usually include a fabric fastener flap closure on the neck to ensure water does not enter into the core area of the body. Cold water scuba suits have fabric fastener flap closures on the wrist and ankle cuffs as well as a full head cover that attaches to the neckline.

    Seams

    • The seams created from sowing the wetsuit material together are an area of weakness that can allow water into the suit. Surfing wetsuits commonly have a basic stitched design that can have small water leakage especially in aged suits. Scuba wetsuits employ a sealed seam design that keeps water out and reduces abrasion. Sealed seams are weaker than stitched seams, which are ideal for the strenuous movement of surfing.